Aerial torpedo and launching means



1. MENCHEN.

AERIAL TORPEDO AND LAUNCHING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 13. 1918- Patentd June 21, 1921 5 SHEETS-SHEET 1. 2

IN l/E N TOR ATTORNEY 1. MENCHEN.

AERIAL TORPEDO AND LAUNCHING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED APR-13' 1918- Patented June 21, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. MENCHEN.

AERIAL TORPEDO AND LAUNCHING MEANS. APPLICATION FILED APR.13.1918.

1,382,375. A PatentedJuneZl, 1921. 5 SHEETS-SHEET s.

INVENTOR L'MENCHEN.

AERIAL TOBFEDO AND LAUNCHING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 13, I918- Patented June 21, 1921.

' l/Vl/EN TOR A TTOR/VEY 5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

3y fiw JOSEI'H MENCHIEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AERIAL TORPEDQ AND LAUNGHING MEANS.

Application filed April 13, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrrr MENOHEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, and State of New ork, have invented new and useful Improvements in Aerial Torpedoes and Launching Means, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to aerial torpedoes, to means for carrying the same on and launching them from airplanes, to firing means therefor and means for controlling the same, and to various features and as pects of such matters which will become apparent. Among the objects are to enable a number of bombs to be disposed advantageously on the plane and to be released conveniently and with certainty by the pilot or occupant, to insure safety during han-' dling and while on the plane and against failure to explode when dropped, to provide effective and readily adjustable means for timing the explosion, and to insure explosion in event of the bomb encountering either a substantially unyielding obstacle, such as a building, or a relatively yielding body such as another aeroplane or a Zeppelin or a net. The preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, but it will be understood that various equivalent constructions may be devised.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one of the torpedoes in its carrying frame, the intermediate and major portions of the torpedo and frame being broken away for economy of space and dotted lines leing used to illustrate the shifted position of the releasing parts;

Fig. 2 is a view looking at the right-hand end of Fig. 1;

F 3 is a fragmentary bottom plan view the right-hand portion of Fig. 1. dotted lines ag in showing the shifted position of the releasing parts;

Fig. 4 is view, partly in bottom plan and partly in section, of an alternative releasing construction;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view looking at the opposite side of Fig. 4t;

F 6 is a large sectional plan view of the portions of the fixture at the rear end of the torpedo and of the cooperative parts carried by the torpedo. the body of the torpedo itself not being shown;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 21, 1921.

Serial No. 228,343.

Fig. 7 is a rear sectional face view of the fuse holder disk;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section through the left-hand portion of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation of the firing mechanism at the forward end of the torpedo;

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 6 in the normal or carrying position and showing the timing mechanism in a shifted position, the body of the tor pedo bein omitted from the illustration;

Fig. 11 is a vertical longitudinal section through the same parts shown in the act of swinging downward with the torpedo, the body of which, however, is not shown;

Fig. 12 is a view showing the parts carried by the torpedo dropping away from the fixture, a portion of the body of the torpedo being indicated by dotted lines;

Fig. 13 is a semi-diagrammatic view showing a preferred arrangement of the torpedoes on the plane;

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 10, partly broken away and in section, showing a modified construction;

Fig. 15 is a sectional plan taken 011 the line l5-l5 of Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the hinged pintle shown in the last two views;

Fig. 17 is a perspective view of the rear portion of the rear stem of the torpedo; and

18 is a face view of the cap holder and safety pin of the timing mechanism.

The torpedoes are carried horizontally. preferably four on a plane, two at each side of and above the pilots seat. one in front and the other in rear, (see Fig. 13). The framework for supporting one of the torpedoes is seen more particularly in Fig. 1. From a member 2 forming part of the framework of the machine depends a fixed hanger iron 3 braced by diagonal pieces 4:. T his hanger supports the rear end of the torpedo 5; and in each instance this rear end disposed toward the pilot, the two hangcrs 3 at each side being adjacent each other and the supports for the forward ends of the torpedoes being remote. The rear end of each torpedo is hinged or pivoted to its hanger 3, so that when its front end is released the torpedo swings down. The said forward end is supported and held by laterally spaced members 6 projecting clownward from the part 2 and by a withdrawable rest 7, in the form of a lever. A front stem 8 on the torpedo is received between the stem at the moment oi release.

The supporting lever 7 is operated by vertically disposed releasing hand lever 11, disposed adjacent the support 3 for the opposite end of the torpedo,the four handles being thus within easy reach of the pilot. The hand grip of this lever is on its lower end, and its fulcrum pivot 12 is intermediate its ends, connecting it to a suitable hanger or fixed bracket 13. Its upper end is pivotally connected to one end of slide let, which is movable horizontally upon the upper part of the framework The pivot 'pin is guided in a horizontal slot 16. in the line structure, and the opposite end'oi the s1 l is provided with another guide slot 17 wl cn slides upon a fixed pin 18. The fulcrum portion of the hand lever is. preferably slotted, at 19, to allow fortne difference in movement of the parts. The end of theslide remote from the hand lever has a downwardlyextending part20, to which the free end of the supporting lever? is connected, so that movement of the slide by the hand lever in the direction of the forward end of the torpedo withdraws the rest for said end, permitting it to hinge downward on the hanger 3. Figs. 4 and 5 arrangement,

show an alternative releasing" iiere the supporting lever T is connected a stem 90 passing outward from a flexibly supported cylinder 91, wherein it is provided with a piston 92. The rear end of the cylinder 91 receives a cap 93,

the firing oi which will force the piston 92 and rod 90 forward, thus moving the lever 7 to the dotted line position of the lever 7' .of Fig. 3. 'The cap is fired by a pin 94:

slidably mounted'in a casing 95, which is united with the cyl1nder91. The firing pin carries a collar OI'CX'OSS-PlQCB 96, betweei which and the rear end of the casing 95 a compression spring 9'? is confined, tending to drive the firing pin 94 forward against the cap 93. The firin -pin is normally held in its retracted position by means of alateral' stud98 on the collar 96 occupying a lateral extension or rest 99 at the end or" a longitudinal slot 100 in the wall oi 'the casing 95.;consequently turning the firing pin 94 will release it to be driven forward by'thc spring '97. This turning movement oi the firing pin may be effected by a suitable handle, such as indicated at 101, this handle being united with a longitudinal rod 102, the forward end of which is provided with a lateral pin or stud 103 which operates in a longitudinal slot 10% of an extension 105 of the I tiring ain rod 94. This form of connection 7 enables the hiring pin to be turned by the handle 101 without the handle partaking of the longitudinal movement of the firing pin under the action of the spring. Upon the lower end of the hanger iron is hinged a hollow member 21, which receives a rear stem 22 on the torpedo and constitutes a means for carrying and actuating a tripping or firing member 23. The pivoted end of this tubular member or holder is seen slotted at 2% to accommodate the hanger iron, and the two are connected by a transverse pivot-pin 25. The torpedo stem 22 is connected to the holder, after being entered therein, by a shear pin 26, which is passed.

through registering holes in the parts. This connection is destroyed, and the torpedo consequently freed, by the power developed by the downward swinging of the torpedo, when its front one is released; and to this end the iront edge of the extension of the hanger 3 below the hinge axis is formed as a cam or eccentric 27, the form and relation of which to the stem 22 are suchthat at a predetermined point in the downward swing, at or near the vertical position of the bomb, the

end of the stem riding forcibly upon.

red cam thrusts the stem downward -d in he holder, thereby shearing the p m'itting the torpedo to iron. Wlnle this construction is preferred for its simplicity, convenience and reliability, T do not necessarily limit'niyseltthereto, since other forms of hinge support for holdinn" the rear .end or the torpedo while it swings dovnward, and for freeing it at a defi ite timedafter other 'instrumentalities been actuated, may be provided;

rm and internal ronstruction the torpedo may follow nown'practice, and tters there" lot illustrated or d in detail. The, ward stem 8 may contain a firing pin 28,- which is normallv fixed but adapted to be driven rearward by impact, so as to lire cap or cartridge 2 whicl will ignite detwill en 7 pinis normal'lv oment (i A g The forward portlonct pro gects beyond this fixed turn order that it may, strike the a d as the shear o -Tl-e constructions and arrangeinents foi" firing .at' rear end. of thei torpcd inother obstacle, asto be driven of a time fuse 32, disposed circularly, that is to say in an arc, in a disk 33 forming part of a fuse-container secured on the rear end of the torpedo at the base of the stem 22. This container has an arcuate groove 34 in its front face, which communicates with the rear face by a series of defini nl located flash ports 85. At the regions of theseports the coveringofthe fuse may be removed and quick match composition applied to insure the action of the fuse. One end of the groove 34 is connected. by a radial groove 36 with a central opening 37, through which the fuse is led to the detonator 31. The fuse container is completed by another disk 33, also provided with a central opening, and which is screwed into a flange 71 on the front face of the disk 38, a plate 72 of vitreous material being preferably interposed between the two disks, closing the face of the groove 34. A flange 73 on the rear end of a copper tube 74 containing the detonator is also clamped between the disks 88 and 38 of the fuse container, the detonator projecting forward through the central opening in the disk 33 so as to enter the interior of the bomb. The stem 22 is united or secured in rearward projecting relation to the disk 33, and the disk 38 has a central forwardly disposed threaded boss 75, whereby the entire unit may be Secured to the suitably recessed rear end of the torpedo.

(7n the lower or forward end of the hinged holder 21 is a timing head 38, which is also in the form of a disk of approximately the same diameter as the fuse container 33. When the'torpedo is in the frame, these two parts are held face to face; and one of them is mounted rotatably. Preferably the head 38 is secured to the holder in such manner that it may be turned thereon without movement lengthwise. Tongue and groove formations 33 38 on the disks 33 and 38 serve to prevent entrance of water between them. The head 38 is cut away or recessed at one side, as at 39; and in this recess is a firing block 40 containing cap seat 41 and a flash passage 42 to re 'ister with any one of the ports The flash passage 42 terminates in a projecting nipple 43 on the forward or inner face of the rotatable head, adapted to enter said ports and to hold the parts in fixed relation when once adjusted. To permit of the adjustment the firing block bearing the nipple or registering projection is mounted on the timing head disk in such .ianner that it may yield away from the fuse container, while being normally pressed thereto. This is accomplished by connect ing the end of the block 40 adjacent the center to the head 38 by means of a transverse pivot pin 44. An expansion spring 45 confined between the block and a bracket 46 on the head urges the block against the fuse container 33, or to a position in which the nipple will enter a port. The ports not in registry with the nipple at any time are covered by the timing head disk A handle 47 projecting from the block 40 facilitates the turning of the head about the axis of the holder 21 and stem 22, and the movement of the block away from the fuse container to disengage the nipple. The nipple 43 is preferably located eccentrically with respect to the chamber of the flash passage, and the front or lower wall of this chamber is formed with a cavity 42" having a vent opening 42", the cavity being in line with the cap 48, so that when the latter is fired its wedding will be caught in the cavity and will be prevented from obstructing the nipple.

The cap 48, which is placed in the seat 41 in the firing block, is fired by a hammer 49. the head of which is secured to the end of a flat spring 50, which in turn is secured to the bracket 46. The spring 50 is normally not under firing tension, so that there is no danger of its being accidentally released and flying against the cap, and in addition the cap is protected by a safety pin 51, which is inserted through holes in the block 40 over the cap in position to prevent the hammer touching the cap as long as the pin is in place. This pin may be in the form of a cotter pin with a large and conveniently accessible ring handle 51. and is held fr ctionally in place and may be readily withdrawn by the pilot before pulling the launching; lever 11.

The hammer 49 is retracted and released by the tripping member 23 heretofore referred to as being mounted on and operated by the holder or hinged member 21. The

said member 23 is desirably constructed as a collar slidingly encircling the holder and having a rim 52 which contacts with the tip 53 of the hammer and draws the same rearward when the collar itself is drawn rearward or upward on the holder. Continuance of the movement carries the rim 52 from beneath the extremity of the hammer, and the latter is then driven by its spring against the cap 48. The movement of the tripping member upward and rearward on the holder is brought about as the result of the clownward swinging of the holder and the connection of the tripping member with a fixed point above the hinge axis-25, the said connection being a pull link or pair of links 54, pivoted at 55 to the tripping member and at 56 to the hanger 3.

In addition to the'time fuse firing mechanism just described and the impact firing device at the forward end of the torpedo, another firing member is provided at the rear, adapted to be actuated upon contact of the torpedo with a more or less yielding body. This second firing pin or plunger 57 is mounted to slide in the rear stem 22 and operates by inertia, which causes the plunger to continue downward against the resistance of av relatively weak spring 58, after the torpedo and its stem have been stopped in a more or less cushioned manner by encounter with a dirigible, an observation balloon, another plane or protective nets such as are placed over some buildings. The device will, of course, also operate in event of the bomb striking the earth or an unyielding obstacle. Normally the plunger 57 is barred against forward movement by a safety shear .said plunger acts upon a cap 62 in or adja-' cent thebase of the stem 22, which cap is arranged to fire the detonator 31, to which the time fuse 32 also leads. As shown this cap is placed in a seat 62?, which is screwed through the opening 37 of the disk 33, which is threaded for the purpose,- into the interior of the stem, which is formed as continuation of said openingand which is threaded for a short distance in rear of the disk. Air release holes 62 are formed in the wall of the stem behind the cap so that forward' movement of the striker will not be opposed y an air'cushion. 7 V V In operation, each torpedois carried horizontal as stated. The shear members 26 and 59-and the withdrawable safety pin 51 are v the torpedo. V

' swings down. upon its rear hinge" support,

and'this movement actuates the link-held 55' r so 7 the time fuse 82, whichit ignites. 1 This 00- curs before the pin 26 is sheared and while all in place. T0 launch the torpedo and to place it in condition to explode, the aviator sets the timing head 38, draws out the pin 51 and pulls the lever 11. The latter operation moves the slide or longitudinally extending connection 141. and shifts the rest.

lever 7 from'beneath the forward stem 8 of The torpedo immediately tripping member 23 in the manner'already described. The. hammer 4:9 is pulled back and let go, and thereupon. drives forward: upon the cap 4:8, which is fired, its flame striking through the passage in the block 40 and through the registering port 35 to the-torpedo is still connected to the hinge support. 7 Alsogbefore the said connection isbroken, theshear member 59 is destroyed by the coaction of the plunger 57 and the V cam 27, so that this inertia firingmember is free'to act upon contact to explode the detonator 31, if at that time it has not already been'set off by the time fuse. Finally, the pin 26-is sheared and'the torpedo drops away, with its time fuse burning and its impact firing devices in condition to operate. When the torpedo falls from the plane it carries the fuse container with it, but the timing head is left behind upon the hinge fixture, of which it forms a part. V

In order to set the time fuse to explode at any height the operator merely tilts the block 40 away from the fuse container 83 and turns the timing head 38 by means of r the handled? until a pointer 68 co6perating with index marks 64: indicates the desired elevation. .Then the handle is released and the firing block snaps into registry with one of the flash ports 35. In case the aviator in tends the torpedo to explode only upon contact, he can turn the head 38 so that the flash port42 is opposite a blank portion of the fuse-holder disk 33, in which event the fuse will not be ignited. V

Figs. 1 l17 illustrate a'modified construction, wherein the shear pin 26 is replaced'byf a separable hinge construction. The lower end of the hanger-iron 3 is narrower than the hanger 3 ofthe other form and is embraced by re'arwardly extending bifurcations upon the stem 22 of the torpedo. These bifurcations are apertured bytransverse pivot openings 81, from'which slots 82 extend rearward to the end of the stem. The

from the hinge pin 25*, because the exits 82 arethen opposite the narow transverse dimension of the slabbed-oif pivot pin. These I exits must be wider than the narow dimension :of the pin and narrower than the greater transverse dimension thereof. order to facilitate assemblage the .pin 25* may be made removable, being heldfin place by a cotter-pin 84. In this construction the principalv function of the holder '21 is to serve as a mounting and guide for the tripping member 23. In other particulars this form may resemble the one previously described. f V

What I claim' as new is: Y

1. Launching means for aerial torpedoes Y 7 7 comprising a hinged holder for one' end of vertical position the stem 22 can drop away 7 the torpedo, a withdrawal support for the opposite end, together supporting the torpedo horizontal, a shear pin uniting the torpedo and hinged holder, and means whereby downward swinging movement of the torpedo and hinged holder automatically causes the shearing of said pin.

2. Launching means for aerial torpedoes comprising a stem on the rear end of the torpedo, a hanger, a holder hinged to the hanger and receiving said stem, a shear pin connecting the stem and holder, a withdrawable support for the forward part of the torpedo between which and the holder the torpedo is held horizontal, and a cam on the hanger below the hinge axis adapted to act upon the stem to shear the pin when the torpedo and holder swing downward.

3. In launching means for aerial torpedoes, the combination of a hinged holder for the rear end of the torpedo, releasing means cooperating therewith to support the torpedo horizontal, an inertia firing device in the rear end of the torpedo, a safety shear member barring movement of said firing device, a safety shear member connecting the torpedo and holder, and means for automatically shearing both said safety members as the result of downward swinging of the torpedo and holder.

4. In launching means, the combination of a stem on the rear end of the torpedo, an inertia firing device in said stem, a hinged holder receiving the stem, releasing means cooperating with the hinged holder to support the torpedo horizontal, a safety shear member connecting the torpedo stem and holder, a second safety shear member securing said firing device, and astationary cam disposed so as to force downward upon both the stem and the inertia firing device, to shear their members, when the torpedo and holder swing down.

5. In launching means for aerial torpedoes, the combination of a hinged holder for the rear end of the torpedo, releasing means coiiperating therewith to support the torpedo horizontal, an inertia firing device in the rear end of the torpedo, a safety shear member barring movement of said firing device, a safety shear member connecting the torpedo and holder, and means for automaticaly shearing said members in succession as the result of downward swinging of the torpedo and holder.

6. In launching means for aerial torpedoes, the combination oi. supports for the front and rear of the torpedo together carrying the same horizontal, one of the supports being a hinge support and means for withdrawing the other, means whereby the torpedo is automaticaly freed from the hinge support when it has swung downward, an inertia firing devicein the rear part of the torpedo, a safety connectionnormally holding said firing device, and means for destroying said connection by the downward swinging movement of the torpedo.

7. In launching means for aerial torpedoes, the combination of supports normally arrying the torpedo horizon al, one being a hinge support and the other a withdrawable support, an inertia firing device in the torpedo, means normally securing said device, and means whereby the firing means is automatically relieved of the restraint of said securing means when the torpedo swings downward.

8. In launching means for aerial torpedoes, the combination of supports normally carrying the torpedo hour en tal, one being a hin 'e support and the other a withdrawable support, an inertia fir i device in the terpedo, a shear member :mally barring forward movement of said firing device, end a cam for shearing said member when the torpedo swings downwari'l.

ln launching means for aerial torpedoes, the combination of supports normally ca rying the torpedo horizontal, one being a hinge support and the other a withdrawable support, an inertia firing device in the torpedo, a shear member normally barring forward movement of said firing device, and a fixed cam below the hinge axis, the relation of the cam and firing device being such that the firing device is caused to ride forcibly upon the cam when the torpedo swings downward, thereby shearing said member.

10. in launching means for aerial torpedoes. the combination of hinge support for the rear end oi: the torpedo, withdi'awable support cooperating threwith to support the torpedo horizontal, means whereby the torpedo is freed when it h a downward, a spring-driven fir: hammer, and means for tri ping the hammer as the result of the downward swinging movement of the torpedo.

11. In launching means for aerial torpedoes, the combination of a hinge support for the rear end oi the torpedo, a support for the forward of the torpedo coiiperating with the hin e support to carry the torpedo horizontal, means for withdrawing the forward support, a time fuse, firing means therefor actuated by the downward swinginr: movement of the torpedo. a connection uniting the torpedo to the hinge support, and means for breaking said connection when the torpedo has swung downward.

12. In launching means for aerial torpedoes, thecombination of a stem on the rear end of the torpedo, a hinge fixture including a pivoted member receiving said stem, :1 connection uniting the stem with the hinge fixture and means whereby said connection is broken when the torpedo swings downward, releasing means cooperating with the hinge fixture to support the torpedo horidoes, the combination of means comprising a hinge fixture and a withdrawable support for carrying the torpedo horizontal, a connection uniting the torpedo to the hinge fixture, means whereby said connection, 1s broken by downward swinging movement, a time fuse carried by the torpedo, means for igniting the same comprising a springdriven firing hammer on the hinge fixture, a

tripper on the fixture, and a link connecting said tripper with a point above the hinge axis.

14:. In launching means for aerial torpedoes, the combination of a hinge fixture for the rear end of the torpedo, releasing means cooperating with the hinge fixture to sup port the torpedo horizontal, means whereby the torpedo is disconnected from the hinge fixture at a predetermined point in the downward swinging movement, a time fuse carried by the torpedo, means for igniting the same including a member slidable on the swinging part of the hinge fixture, and means whereby said member is caused to slide thereon by the downward swinging movement.

15. In launching means for aerial torpe: does, the combination of a stem on therear end of the torpedo, a hingefixture having a pivoted holder receiving said'stem, a connection uniting the stem with the fixture, releasing means coeperating with the hinge fixture to support the torpedo horizontal,

means whereby said connection is broken by downward swinging movement, a time fuse carried by the torpedo, means for igniting the same; comprising spring-driven firinghammer on said holder, a slidable tripping collar encircling the holder and stem, and a link disposed to pull the collar upward on the'holderas the latter swings down. a I,

16. In launching means for aerial torpedoes, the combination with an aerial tor pedo, and a fixture from which the torped 1S launched, of a time fuse container on the torpedo, a circularly disposed fuse in said container, and firing means on the fixture, said fuse container and firing means being relatively rotatable. i r S 17 In launching means for aerial torpedoes, the combination with an aerial tor pedo, and a fixture from which the torpedo is launched, of a time fuse containeron the torpedo, a circularly disposed fuse in said container, a cap-receiving-firing block on thefixture in juxtaposition to the fuse con tainer on the torpedo, and a hammer co operative wlth the firing block, the firing block and its hammer on the one hand and the fuse container on the other hand being position to said face, and firing hammer,

the firing block and hammer on the one hand and the fuse container on the other being relatively rotatable. 7 V v 19. Thecombination with an aerial torpedo, and a fixture from which the torpedo is launched, of a time fuse container on the torpedo having a face provided with a circularly disposed SBIIGS of; fiash ports, a fir-1.

ing block normally in juxtaposition to said face and having a nipple terminating its firing passage and adapted to enter said ports, a mounting for the firing block on the fixture permitting itnto I be separated from the ported face to disengage and reengage the nipple with one or other of the ports, the firing block and fuse container being in addition relatively rotatable, and a spring for pressing the firing block toward the face. r

20. The combination with an aerial torpedo, and a fixture from which the torpedo is launched, of a time fuse container on the torpedo having a face provided with a circularly disposed series of flash ports, a timing disk rotatably mounted on .the fixture and covering said face, a firing blockcarriedby said timing-disk and provided with meansfor registering its firing passage with one or other ofjsaid ports, the firing block being yieldingly mounted in the timing disk for disengagement and reengagement with the ported face. a

21. The combination with an aerial torpedo, and a fixture from which the torpedo is launched, of a time fuse container on the torpedo having a face provided with a cir- .cularly disposed series'of flash ports, a time ing disk rotatably mounted on the 'fixture andcovering said face, a firing block disposed in a recess of-the timing disk and hinged thereto on an axis parallel with the ported face, means for registering the firing passage of the firing block with any one of said ports, and a spring'pressing the firing -block toward the face.

22. The combination with an aerial tor pedo, and a fixture from vhich the torpedo is launched, of a time fuse container on the torpedo having a face provided with a circularly disposed series ,offiash ports,a timing disk rotatably mounted on the fixture and c r g said fa e, a ham er n said 7 and a connection extending from said releasing lever to the lever rest.

24. A carrying and launchin frame comprising end hangers, means ror hingedly connecting the rear end of the torpedo to one hanger, the opposite hanger having a recess with a bottom exit for receiving a projection on the forward end of the torpedo, a withdrawable rest closing said exit,

a substantially vertical releasing lever fulcrumed on the frame adjacent the hinge hanger, and a slide on the upper part of the frame connected at one end to said re leasing lever and having a connection at the other end extending downward to the with drawable rest.

25. In launching means for aerial to pedoes, the combination of means for carrying the torpedo horizontal including a hinge support for the rear end of the torpedo, means for releasing the torpedo to swing downward, means whereby the torpedo'is' freed when it has swung downward, a spring-driven firing hammer, means for tripping the hammer as the result of the downward swinging movement of the torpedo, and a safety member normally interposed between the hammer and the part upon which it is to act.

JOSEPH lVfENCHEN. 

